Finland Times

The three-day Middle East business aviation (MEBA) and exhibition opened in Dubai on Monday revealed a growing competition among private jet operators and firms offering maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).

This year's bi-annual MEBA has attracted more than 420 exhibitors from across the globe, up from 338 in 2012. The fair at the exhibition center of Dubai's new airport Al-Maktoum international expects more than 8,000 visitors.

The two biggest carriers of the host country United Arab Emirates (UAE), Emirates Airline from Dubai and Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi joined the event and the returning exhibitors Qatar Executive and Saudia Private Aviation.

Their presence gave proof for rising demand for luxurious and exclusive air travel. With the Gulf Arab region being one of the wealthiest in relation to millionaire's density and with jet fuel becoming cheaper as oil trades at a five-year low, exhibitors said they are optimistic about business prospects.

For the first time, Chinese company Haeco private jet solutions from Xiamen, Fujian province, exhibits at MEBA.

"As the only approved cabin completion center for Airbus and Boeing planes in Asia, we aim to promote our services directly to potential customers in the Gulf Arab region," said Henry Chan, vice president for commercial operations at Haeco.

Haeco could produce cheaper than its peers in Western countries and design customized luxurious interiors for small private jets and wide-body aircraft, said Bruce Zheng, the firm's commercial officer.

Wolfgang Reinert, director for international communications at German MRO giant Lufthansa Technik, told Xinhua that the Middle East was traditionally one of the most important markets outside Europe for his firm.

In China, Lufthansa Technik has been running a joint venture called Ameco with Air China for over two decades.

According to Sheikh Ahmed Bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, president of Dubai civil aviation authority and chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline, the regional market for 2020 is poised to be worth 1.3 billion dollars, he said in his greeting message to the MEBA delegates.